Dust detection method and apparatus for cleaning robot

Abstract

A dust detection method and apparatus of a cleaning robot. The dust detection method involves acquiring a floor image as a current floor image of a predetermined place at a current location of the cleaning robot in the predetermined place; obtaining a difference image between the current floor image and a background image selected from a feature map consisting of a plurality of floor images of the predetermined place; and detecting a dusty area based on the difference image and adjusting a cleaning power of the cleaning robot.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONThis application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 2004-13569, filed on Feb. 27, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to a cleaning robot, and more particularly, to a dust detection method and apparatus which can increase the efficiency of a cleaning process by automatically detecting dust on a floor, appropriately adjusting a cleaning power of a cleaning robot, and appropriately modifying a cleaning path of the cleaning robot.2. Description of Related ArtRecently, a variety of mobile robots, which generally include a driving means, sensors, and a travel controller and perform many useful functions while autonomously operating, have been developed. For example, a cleaning robot is a cleaning device that collects dust and dirt on the floor while autonomously moving about the ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

An aspect of the present invention provides a dust detection method and apparatus, which can increase the efficiency of a cleaning process by automatically detecting dust on the floor, adjusting a cleaning power of a cleaning robot, and modifying a cleaning path of the cleaning robot.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dust detection apparatus of a cleaning robot. The dust detection apparatus includes an image acquisition unit which acquires a floor image as a current floor image of a predetermined place at a current location of the cleaning robot in the predetermined place; and a control unit which obtains a difference image between the current floor image and a background image selected from among the plurality of floor images of the feature map, detects a dusty area based on the difference image, and adjusts the cleaning power of the cleaning robot.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaning robot, including: an image acquisition unit acquires floor images of a predetermined place in which the cleaning robot moves while performing a cleaning process; an image processing unit which performs treatments on the acquired floor image; and a control unit which obtains a obtain difference images between the acquired floor images and a plurality of floor images of a feature map, detects an area with the use of the difference images, and adjusts the cleaning power of the cleaning robot.

Problems solved by technology

However, the dust detectability of these two patented techniques may deteriorate after a period of use because there is a high probability of impurities being accumulated at the light receptor and the light emitter.

All of the above patented techniques cannot determine whether dust particles exist on the floor until they draw the dust through a suction passage.

In addition, the above patented techniques detect dust without considering the state of the floor, and thus, the efficiency of a cleaning process may deteriorate.

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